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Kosovo power plant blast kills three

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At least three people were killed and many more were injured in a suspected gas explosion at a major power plant outside the Kosovo capital Pristina on Friday.

"Until now we have three confirmed dead and many injured," Derat Rukiqi, the chairman of plant's management board told AFP.

The head of Pristina's emergency centre Basri Lenanji said 13 people had been taken there with injuries.

Ambulances were seen speeding to and from the blast site, which was sealed off by police.

Rukiqi said the blast -- heard in Pristina 10 kilometres (six miles) away -- was believed to have been caused by gas.

"The explosion was so strong that I thought it was an earthquake," an injured engineer with a bandaged head told local television from his hospital bed.

"The ceiling started to fall. Before I left the plant I noticed many wounded and much blood," he said.

An AFP photographer who managed to approach the plant two hours after the explosion said its walls were severely damaged.

The windows of about a dozen cars parked nearby had shattered from the impact of the blast, as had those of houses in the vicinity.

Thick black smoke billowed from the plant as firefighters and rescuers from a special emergency unit of Kosovo Security Force made their way in and out of the building.

Kosovo police officers inspect the site of an explosion at a power plant near the town of Obilic  on...
Kosovo police officers inspect the site of an explosion at a power plant near the town of Obilic, on June 6, 2014
Armend Nimani, AFP

The Kosovo A plant is the second largest power station in the country with a capacity of 449 MW. It produces more than 30 percent of electricity in Kosovo.

The European Union has described the plant as the worst single source of pollution in Kosovo. It is expected to be closed by 2017.

A worker who happened to be outside the plant at the time of the blast said: "There was a huge fire that broke out after the explosion. Panic broke out. We started to run as no-one knew what was going on."

"The explosion broke my (entrance) door and all windows of my house," said a man living nearby the plant.

"We all ran out the house as we thought a bomb was thrown on it," he added.

Outgoing Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci came to the plant shortly after the blast occurred around 11 am (0900 GMT).

He denied rumours that new blasts could be expected.

"There is no reason to panic. Everything is under control. There is no reason to evacuate inhabitants" living around the plant, Thaci told reporters.

"Only workers were evacuated. All special services needed to help were at the spot," Thaci said.

In a show of solidarity with families of the victims, main political parties -- notably Thaci's Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and main opposition Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) -- suspended election rallies planned ahead of Sunday's legislative polls.

At least three people were killed and many more were injured in a suspected gas explosion at a major power plant outside the Kosovo capital Pristina on Friday.

“Until now we have three confirmed dead and many injured,” Derat Rukiqi, the chairman of plant’s management board told AFP.

The head of Pristina’s emergency centre Basri Lenanji said 13 people had been taken there with injuries.

Ambulances were seen speeding to and from the blast site, which was sealed off by police.

Rukiqi said the blast — heard in Pristina 10 kilometres (six miles) away — was believed to have been caused by gas.

“The explosion was so strong that I thought it was an earthquake,” an injured engineer with a bandaged head told local television from his hospital bed.

“The ceiling started to fall. Before I left the plant I noticed many wounded and much blood,” he said.

An AFP photographer who managed to approach the plant two hours after the explosion said its walls were severely damaged.

The windows of about a dozen cars parked nearby had shattered from the impact of the blast, as had those of houses in the vicinity.

Thick black smoke billowed from the plant as firefighters and rescuers from a special emergency unit of Kosovo Security Force made their way in and out of the building.

Kosovo police officers inspect the site of an explosion at a power plant near the town of Obilic  on...

Kosovo police officers inspect the site of an explosion at a power plant near the town of Obilic, on June 6, 2014
Armend Nimani, AFP

The Kosovo A plant is the second largest power station in the country with a capacity of 449 MW. It produces more than 30 percent of electricity in Kosovo.

The European Union has described the plant as the worst single source of pollution in Kosovo. It is expected to be closed by 2017.

A worker who happened to be outside the plant at the time of the blast said: “There was a huge fire that broke out after the explosion. Panic broke out. We started to run as no-one knew what was going on.”

“The explosion broke my (entrance) door and all windows of my house,” said a man living nearby the plant.

“We all ran out the house as we thought a bomb was thrown on it,” he added.

Outgoing Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci came to the plant shortly after the blast occurred around 11 am (0900 GMT).

He denied rumours that new blasts could be expected.

“There is no reason to panic. Everything is under control. There is no reason to evacuate inhabitants” living around the plant, Thaci told reporters.

“Only workers were evacuated. All special services needed to help were at the spot,” Thaci said.

In a show of solidarity with families of the victims, main political parties — notably Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and main opposition Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) — suspended election rallies planned ahead of Sunday’s legislative polls.

AFP
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With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

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